Thursday, June 7, 2012

Picking blackberries, chiggers, and a snake in the hen house!

Yes, that's right! I've experienced all that this week! I love blackberry jelly, but I question if it's worth going through all this to make it! The canes have scratchy thorns that stab and stick into your skin. There is tall grass and cow itch to maneuver around, and chiggers! I thought I'd be OK since I had on my boots. I thought they started at your ankles and crawled up! I was wrong! Chiggers will jump on any part of your clothes and body and embed into your skin, just about any where! I couldn't believe my eyes when I bathed that night! My torso was covered in red bumps! I've had chiggers before, but not like this! At least they don't itch too bad! Poison Ivy, however, is so much worse! Or cow itch, or Sumac! They all terrorize me!

This morning as I started out to pick blackberries, I noticed a hen cackling. That's not at all unusual, since they do that when they lay an egg. They are usually outside the hen house when they start that, though. She didn't come out. I checked and I couldn't believe my eyes! There was a snake in there! A CHICKEN SNAKE! You don't want to see a chicken snake in the HEN HOUSE! They eat eggs, and chickens! The eggs were gone, and Blackie may have gotten eaten, had I not walked out when I did! I opened the doors to try and let it out. I got Blackie out finally, but she kept wanting back in! She's been broody for a couple of months, and will stay in there even after I've gathered the eggs! I closed the gate so she couldn't get back in. I got my hoe and tried to shoo the snake out! It started to the front and looked like it was going down, then it saw me with the camera and went back in! I new I couldn't kill it! I just couldn't imagine the feeling of the hoe going into the body of the snake! That freaks me out! I can't kill anything! I decided to call the hubs, so I went inside. He said he'd come home, but the snake would probably be gone by the time I got back out there. I said naa, because it didn't seem afraid! I even touched it's tail when it was at the front of the hen house! It felt scaly, not slimy! Well, hubs was right, as usual, and when I went back out there, the snake was gone! Now I'm concerned it will be back again tomorrow for an egg breakfast! That really was a freaky sight! It was so long, I thought there were two of them! I'm glad it was just one! What would you have done if you saw the snake? Would you kill it? How? I wished I could! Maybe if I see it again, I'll be able to! I know I would if I saw it eat one of my chickens! I guess! It's probably hiding under the black plastic next to the hen house! I know it's not going to bother me, that's why I'm not afraid of it! When I was trying to get it out, at one point it was facing me and opened it's mouth as if yawning! I said, "You bore me too, snake!"

We had two birthday parties this week and have had children here a couple of days! I forgot my camera at my Mom's birthday, so I used my Dad's camera. He has it, so when I get the card, I'll share some photos. I don't know if I can top this post this week, so it may be next week before I share again! Ya'll have a good weekend if I don't talk to you until next week! Blessings from Bama!

Not the birthday girl, but check out those beautiful eyes!

Birthday girl! Running around so much, wouldn't smile, so Mom had to hold her while I snapped this shot! Son not to happy about little girl birthday parties!

They love to play!

Look at little bit!

Is she not the most adorable thing you've ever seen?

Little bit slapping Uncle Ran with the party blower.

She liked the money best of all!

Mashing blackberries for juice.

Cubed steak soaking in buttermilk.

Now turned into country fried steak and gravy!

I love Wright's apple wood smoked bacon!

Blackberry juice. I need a cup and a half more!

What I saw when I opened the door!

Moving to the front. Doesn't it look like two snakes?

That is one thick snake! I guess the eggs are in the middle.

Trying to go out the front, but went back in when it saw me! See the black plastic? I think it's under there waiting until tomorrow! He might just get a surprise, tomorrow!

13 comments:

I hate chicken snakes. I have learned to kill them all or they will come back. The only other snake I have had out in the back shed was a copperhead and unfortunately they aren't as easy to kill as a chicken snake and although I hit it hard, it got away.

Hey Bama Girl! What an exciting week you've had! Great photos of your snake!! Is there any way your husband could relocate him? He's such a beneficial snake otherwise. What a blackberry excursion! I remember when I was a youngster getting chiggers picking blackberries and we'd put clear fingernail polish on the bumps. Have no idea if that really helps... just remember that's what we did. I've been freezing our blackberries and using it for oatmeal and yogurt rights now. Probably make a cobbler this weekend. They are starting to come in well here and I almost have to pick every day now. Isn't it a great life we live?! What adventures! Good luck tomorrow with the snake.

The hubs said he would if he could but the snake probably wouldn't cooperate with him and he doesn't want to get bitten. Ooh the blackberry cobbler sounds good! I'm making juice with mine and when I get enough juice, I'll make jelly! It is a great life and an exhausting one as well! I did not see the snake today, yay!

Hi Bama Girl, What would I have done when I saw the snake? Scream from here to there and get out of there! I use to go blackberry picking with my neighbor in the woods behind the cemetery which was behind us. I would bang on a medal dish with a spoon as I went to scare any snakes away! Those are sure darling little girls there! Nancy

You have been one busy lady!!! I would have had a heart attack when I saw that snake!!! He is huge!!! My dad has chickens and was doing well with eggs, but the chickens are eating their own eggs now. He is pretty bummed about that! ...and me too, I haven't had to buy eggs in years! ha!

We had a snake in our henhouse once and I went crazy chopping. It didn't die though-at least not right then. It was disgusting, but I went crazy and couldn't stop-I was so scared. I never saw it again.

About Me

Hello! Welcome to Simply Practical! I write about everyday happenings from my homestead in the Heart Of Dixie! We are learning about gardening, cooking from scratch, eating healthier, canning, and how to live a simple, yet practical life of serving God by helping others. Hope you enjoy your time here! Blessings!